The best VR accessories for 2025

Digital actuality headsets are nice on their very own, however the proper equipment could make them extra snug, sensible and immersive. You may want a softer facial interface or a silicone face cowl to maintain issues clear throughout lengthy classes, a battery strap to increase playtime or a USB-C cable for quicker charging and information switch. Some customers additionally add haptic equipment that present bodily suggestions for a extra reasonable expertise. Whether or not you’re taking part in video games, watching movies or working in VR, small upgrades like these could make an enormous distinction in how your setup feels and performs.Desk of contentsBest VR equipment: ControllersDeadEyeVRFor my cash, video games like Topgolf’s Golf+ and Walkabout Mini Golf are the killer apps for VR headsets — and I’ve by no means golfed a spherical in my life. There’s simply one thing in regards to the actions concerned with golf that translate completely to digital actuality. It already feels actual, however you’ll be able to all the time kick it up a notch by snagging a membership attachment. Golf golf equipment are lengthy and heavy, whereas VR controllers are squat and lightweight. Weighted membership attachments clear up this problem, and DeadEyeVR’s DriVR Elite is the one to beat. The fake driver integrates with Meta Quest headsets and the iron core offers that much-needed heft. It’s not so long as the real-world counterpart, however that’s truly an excellent factor to your home windows and furnishings. In the event you desire minigolf, try the corporate’s line of putters. $100 at AmazonM AMVRFirst particular person shooters are one other good style for VR, however commonplace controllers simply don’t lower it. For additional realism, combine your controllers with a gun inventory attachment of some form. We suggest this one from respected accent maker AMVR. It truly ships with two gun inventory attachments so you’ll be able to dwell the dream of twin wielding like the final word badass from a John Woo film. In addition they look fairly cool, with an aesthetic that’s paying homage to the previous NES mild gun accent. The one caveat? They’re designed to work with newer Quest controllers, so the one viable headsets are the Quest 3 and 3s. If in case you have certainly one of these headsets, nonetheless, you’ll completely begin shredding in video games like Arizona Sunshine, Inhabitants: One and, after all, the rhythm shooter Pistol Whip. $35 at AmazonDeadEyeVRThere are a shocking variety of nice VR video games wherein a bow is the first weapon. In Loss of life: Unchained, Dungeons of Eternity and Survival Nation all function strong archery mechanics, as a begin. The gameplay sometimes has you pull one controller again whereas holding the opposite in place, to imitate the motions of capturing an arrow. That is advantageous, however cuts into the realism a bit. DeadEyeVR’s Shadow Shot accent doesn’t simply really feel like utilizing a bow, it’s an precise bow. The controllers connect on every finish and also you pull again and hearth. For real-life archers, the educational curve must be near zero. For newbies, this could possibly be an attention-grabbing strategy to be taught the fundamentals of the game. $100 at AmazonBest VR equipment: HeadsetsWill Lipman Images for EngadgetLet’s get one thing out of the way in which first: any pair of wired headphones will work with any VR headset. The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 4 headphones aren’t particularly designed for VR headsets, however they’ve loads of options for fans. They’ve 360-degree spatial audio, an actual game-changer for VR experiences, an AI-assisted microphone that reduces ambient noise and a totally customizable EQ, which turns out to be useful when streaming video or listening to music on a VR headset. These are additionally wi-fi headphones with Bluetooth that join to simply about the whole lot. However you should still need to plug in straight when shuffling round a VR house to scale back lag. When going wi-fi, nonetheless, you’ll get 36 hours of use per cost and a quick-charge function that juices up the headphones in simply quarter-hour. $80 at AmazonKIWI designLet’s be sincere: the top straps that ship with most VR headsets, together with the Quest line, aren’t that nice. That’s why individuals are likely to swap them out for extra snug third-party merchandise. One other downside with standalone VR headsets? The battery life is often shorter than an influence nap. You possibly can kill two digital birds with two digital stones by going with a head strap that features an inside battery. The KIWI Design K4 presents round three hours of further juice, with a cushty and balanced design. The included battery truly helps even out the load steadiness, so utilizing this strap helps scale back pressure on the top and neck. $56 at AmazonM AMVRThere’s no good spot to stash a VR headset. You possibly can plop it on a counter someplace, or attempt to discover an unused drawer, however each of these choices aren’t precisely ultimate. That’s the place devoted stands are available as they provide a pleasant and cushty residence for each the headset and its controllers. This one by AMVR is our favourite. It’s budget-friendly, sturdy and, most significantly, encompasses a near-universal design. This stand will accommodate nearly any headset on the market, together with the Quest 3, the Pico 4, the PSVR 2 and even the Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional. There are facet brackets for controllers and a tray on the underside for different equipment (just like the AVP’s battery pack). $27 at AmazonBest VR equipment: FitnessRingsideFrom Supernatural to the boxing sim The Thrill of the Battle, train apps have change into the de facto system sellers for VR headsets. In the event you’re critical about digital exercises, think about commonplace weighted train gloves. These should not particular VR gloves, nor are they notably techy. They’re simply well-made weighted gloves that give your exercises a lift. They’ll not solely improve the efficacy of cardio exercises, however they may assist improve muscle mass alongside the shoulders and arms as properly. It goes with out saying they’ll add a little bit of immersion to boxing sims like Creed: Rise to Glory and The Thrill of the Battle. Ringside’s gloves can be found in two-pound and four-pound variations and, after all, can be utilized at the actual gymnasium along with the digital one. $15 at AmazonEngadgetThough many video games will let you sit and play, standing is actually the easiest way to immerse your self in action-heavy digital environments. It comes with some dangers, nonetheless, as you could possibly step over a pet or knock down an merchandise of furnishings. These headsets sometimes function software program that daunts you from stepping exterior of pre-determined boundaries, however it’s not foolproof. One thing just like the Skywin VR Mat will let you realize the minute you’ve stepped out of bounds. Plus, it’s thick, plush and much more snug to face on than a tough flooring. There are many these mats on the market, and so they work with any VR headset. We selected Skywin’s attributable to its 35-inch circumference, which is massive sufficient to maneuver round in whereas being sufficiently small for house dwellers. $70 at AmazonBest VR equipment: Cables, chargers and batteriesEngadgetMoving VR headsets from place to position could be irritating, as anybody who’s wrapped one up in T-shirts for a flight can attest to. You desire a sturdy and sturdy carrying case that doubles as a great place to retailer the headset and controllers when not in use. Casematix’s budget-friendly exhausting case works with the unique Quest, Quest 2 and Quest 3 out of the field. However the inside’s full of easy-to-cut foam in case your headset has a novel design. You may as well do the identical for equipment. The carrying deal with is snug to carry and the exhausting shell exterior is sturdy. The worth can be proper: this factor prices $35 and most first-party circumstances double that worth, with Meta’s proprietary circumstances working round $70. $59 at AmazonMetaMeta’s headsets are standalone, so you’ll be able to play a whole bunch of video games with out attaching exterior {hardware}. Nonetheless, in addition they work properly with PCs, as long as you may have a hyperlink cable. This offers you wired entry to PC-exclusive video games from the Steam Retailer and elsewhere. The Quest 3 and 3s are highly effective, to make sure, however even they’ll’t run a number of the biggest PC VR titles, just like the unbelievable Half Life: Alyx. There are lots of completely different hyperlink cables on the market, however Meta’s first-party launch is probably going the perfect one. It’s sturdy, over 16 ft lengthy and works with your entire Quest lineup together with the just-released Quest 3s. $79 at AmazonNexiGoStandalone VR headsets assist scale back cable muddle, however a devoted cable administration system finishes the job. NexiGo’s VR cable administration system features a collection of ceiling hooks and adhesive fasteners, along with conventional screws for a extra everlasting answer. Any cables to your headset hold from the ceiling and keep out of the way in which when not in use. There’s even retractable carabiners to extend your vary of motion by round 5 ft or so. Even when you’ve got a standalone headset, that is nonetheless nice for headphones and charging cables. That is clearly a no brainer for these with wired headsets, as nothing ruins a play session like tripping over a cable and falling flat in your face. It’s additionally a reasonably good strategy to hold your VR house free from muddle. $30 at AmazonVR equipment FAQsWhat gear do you want for VR?What you want is dependent upon the VR headset you purchase. Some gadgets, just like the Meta Quest 3, are totally standalone, which suggests you do not want something however the headset itself to make use of it. Different VR headsets have to be related to a system from which it may well draw energy and run software program. Some programs, just like the HP Reverb G2, should connect with a PC, whereas others just like the PS VR2 can connect with gaming consoles just like the PS5. Most VR headsets include the essential controllers you will want to regulate actions and motion in digital worlds.What is the distinction between PC VR, Smartphone VR and Gaming Console VR?The principle distinction between these three VR programs is the principle machine that enables the VR headset to run. PC VR headsets require a PC, like a gaming laptop computer or desktop, to run, whereas smartphone and gaming console VR programs require smartphones and gaming consoles, respectively, to work.Do all VR headsets want a telephone?No, not all VR headsets want a telephone to work. Many VR headsets have construct in shows that sit in entrance of your eyes and principally act as your window into the digital world.